Transfer apparatus



June 9, 19 36.

E. J. PROTIN TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Dec. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR June 9, 1936.

E. J. PRO TIN TRANSFER APPARATU.

Filed Dec. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented June 9, 1936 PATENT OFFICE,

TRANSFER APPARATUS Edward J. Protin, Charlerol, Pa., assignor to Pittsburgh Steel Company, Pittsburgh, 2a., a

corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 28, 1934.1 Serial No. 759,445 .4 Claims. 11. rat-2o) My invention relates to transfer apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for transferring and handling tubes, bars, and the like.

The apparatus is shown in the drawings as employed for the transferring and positioning of tubes to and from pipe-threading machines, but it will be understood that it can be employed in connection with other types of apparatus such as cutting-off machines, etc.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved means for lifting and transferring tubes, one by one, from skids or a table, to a point at which they are to be operated upon, and thereafter discharging the tubes from the last-named position.

Another object of my invention is to provide transfer mechanism for tubes and the like which will hold said tubes against undesired rolling movements, and wherein no tongs or grappling members are required.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement of transfer mechanism and supporting rollers for tubes and the like.

One form which my invention may take is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line IIII]I of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Stated generally, the apparatus comprises skids or tracks 6 of suitable number, depending upon the length of tubes or bars to be handled, and also includes a series of lifters I, rollers 8, tracks or skids 9, lifters l0, rollers II, and skids l2. The purpose of the lifters I is to transfer tubes, one by one, from the tracks 6 to the rollers 8, and thereafter transfer tubes to the tracks 9. The lifters l0 transfer the tubes to the rollers II, and thereafter discharge them to the tracks I2.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 2 to 4, the tracks 6 are mounted on standards ll-IS, the tracks 9 are mounted on standards l5--l6, and the tracks l2 are mounted on the standards 16 and H. A rock shaft I3 is journalled on the standards l5, and a rock shaft I9 is journalled on the standards I 6. The shafts l8 and I9 are periodically oscillated to effect vertical reciprocation of the lifters I and i0, respectively, the lifters all being of the same form, and operated from their respective shafts in the same manner, so that a description of the operation of the lifters l0 by the shaft 19 will suffice also for a description of the lifters I.

The shaft I9 is provided with a crank 2| near each end that is connected to a piston rod 22. Each piston rod 22 extends into a cylinder 23, and is connected to the rear end of a suitable piston. Fluid pressure is admitted to the front side of the piston through an opening 24 to effect rocking of the shaft I! (Fig. 2) in a counterclockwise direction, the weight of the lifters serving to return the piston to the position shown in Fig. 2, when the fluid pressure is released.

The shaft l9 also carries a crank arm 26 for each lifter ill. The lifters l0 have vertical sliding movement in the standards l6, and are supported at their lower ends upon the outer ends of the crank arms 26 that may be provided with rollers, if desired. It will be seen that when fluid pressure is admitted to the cylinders 23, the shaft l9 will be rocked in a direction to raise the lifters ID to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4. The shaft l8 and the lifter I are similarly operated from cylinders 28. Each of the lifters is provided with shoulder portions 29-30 that serve as stops for limiting rolling movements of the tubes, the surface between the shoulders 29 and 30 being inclined so that when the tubes are picked up by this inclined portion of the lifters, they will roll against the seats 30.

A supply of tubes 32 is provided on the tracks 6 which are inclined toward lifters I. Stops 33 are provided for limiting rolling movement of the tubes, the stops being adjustable longitudinally of the tracks (Fig. 4), so that each forward tube 32 will be in proper position to be picked off by the lifters when the lifters are raised. For example, the stops 33 will be set further forwardly for large tubes than for smaller tubes, so that the rear corners of the lifters will pass between the two front tubes.

When the lifters are raised from their retracted full-line position in Fig. 4 to the dotted line position, they will pick off the foremost tube, lifting it clear of the stops 33, and permitting it to roll against the seats 30. When the lifters are lowered, they will bring the tube to rest upon the rollers 8 or II as the case may be.

The rollers are grooved or concave, the rollers 3 being aligned opposite to a threading or cutting-off machine 35, while the rollers II are aligned opposite to a similar machine 36. The a When a pipe 32 is placed on the first set of rollers 8, it is released by the lifters I and can then be moved longitudinally of itself along the rollers 8 for a threading operation by the machine 35. It is then drawn back from the machine, whereupon the lifters 8 are again operated, at which time, the inclined surfaces 4i of the lifters will engage the pipe and move it to the track rails 3, whence it will roll to the next series of stops 33. During this discharging movement of the lifters l, they will pick another tube from the tracks 6, so that upon reciprocation of the lifters, one tube will be discharged from the r011 ers and another tube will be deposited thereon,

\ and the same operations will occur at the rollers II and the threading machine 36.

I claim as my invention:-

1. Transfer apparatus comprising a runway for tubes and the like, a stop member near the front end of the runway, a lifter normally positioned below the runway, a pipe-supporting seat on the lifter, sloping downwardly from the end of the runway and having a vertically-extending stop surface at the lower end of the sloping seat, and circumferentially recessed rollers positioned to receive a pipe when the lifter is lowered, the rear ends of the rollers extending rearwardly of said stop surface, and the mid portions of the rollers being disposed forwardly of said stop surface.

2. Transfer apparatus comprising a runway for tubes and the like, a stop member near the front end of the runway, a lifter normally positioned below the runway, a pipe-supporting seat on the lifter, sloping downwardly from the end of the runway and having a vertically-extending stop surface at the lower end of the sloping seat, circumferentially recessed rollers positioned to receive a pipe when the lifter is lowered, the rear ends of the rollers extending rearwardly of said stop surface, the mid portions of the rollers being disposed forwardly of said stop surface, and a pipe-supporting seat on said lifter sloping downwardly and forwardly from said stop surface, and positioned to raise a tube from the rollers upon upward movement of the lifter. 10 3. Transfer apparatus comprising a runway for tubes and the like, a lifter normally positioned below the discharge end of the runway, means for raising the lifter to raise a tube from the runway,

a tube-supporting seat on the lifter, sloping downwardly from the runway and having a stop surface at its lower end, and receiving members having recessed seats, the said seats having their deepest portions oflset somewhat forwardly of said stop surface, but the seats being positioned to receive a tube when the lifter is lowered.

4. Transfer apparatus comprising a runway for tubes and the like, a lifter normally positioned below the discharge end of the runway, means for raising the lifter to raise a tube from the runway, a tube-supporting seat on the lifter, sloping downwardly from the runway and having a stop surface at its lower end, and receiving members having recessed seats, the said seats having their deepest portions offset somewhat forwardly of said stop surface, but the seats being positioned to receive atube when the lifter is lowered, the lifter having a second pipe-engaging surface disposed forwardly of said stop surface and positioned to lift a tube from the said recess when 5 the lifter is raised.

EDWARD J. PRO'I'IN. 

